Dan Cleary: Detroit Red Wings Impact Players

Each day this week leading up to the start of the 2013 NHLseason I will profile one returning Detroit Red Wings player who needs to elevate their game to ensure the Wings have a successful season and make the playoffs for a NHL best 22 straight seasons.

This dude is History after this year. He was great and worth double his salary for 2007-2009, but he's just a shadow of that now. I like him, but Andersson works in this year and gets Cleary's spot in 13/14.

Two seasons ago he was Wings' best goalscorer. Last season he played with an injured leg and was in lots of pain. There was a surgery after last season and he should be okay now. You should wait until you see him actually play before making any judgements.

For better or for worse, Cleary will be a Wing until he retires, in my opinion. At this stage of his career, I think it would be beneficial to the Red Wings if they let him go, but something tells me he'll play another couple years. I just can't see Detroit letting him go. He's 34. His production slipped last year. Love the way he plays, but it is becoming clear that his style of play is starting to beat him down.

Maybe he'll bounce back this year. I surely hope so.

Edited by Bring Back The Bruise Bros, 15 January 2013 - 12:15 PM.

"Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept."

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="P. Marlowe" data-cid="2340239" data-time="1358269979"><p>
Two seasons ago he was Wings' best goalscorer. Last season he played with an injured leg and was in lots of pain. There was a surgery after last season and he should be okay now. You should wait until you see him actually play before making any judgements.</p></blockquote>

I hope you're right. It would be a huge boost in the arm for the Wings to get the Dan Cleary that single-handedly beat the Mighty Ducks that one playoff year with his net crashing, tenacity, toughness, and skill. I was all over 11's jock after that. He was like Helm but with good breaks and bounces during that time.

For better or for worse, Cleary will be a Wing until he retires, in my opinion. At this stage of his career, I think it would be beneficial to the Red Wings if they let him go, but something tells me he'll play another couple years. I just can't see Detroit letting him go. He's 34. His production slipped last year. Love the way he plays, but it is becoming clear that his style of play is starting to beat him down.

Maybe he'll bounce back this year. I surely hope so.

Ken Holland stated last year that Cleary is "a Wing for life" like Draper, Maltby and co. Can't find the article but it was in MLive I think. So Cleary will be re-signed and this season determines his contract.

"Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive.

If you wanna be tough, grow a p***y. Those things can take a pounding"

-- Betty White

"Finger-pointing is easy. In some cases, even therapeutic. Fans need to blame something,

because the outcome is so frustratingly out of their control."
-- Mitch Albom

This dude is History after this year. He was great and worth double his salary for 2007-2009, but he's just a shadow of that now. I like him, but Andersson works in this year and gets Cleary's spot in 13/14.

So he wasn't worth his career year in 2010-2011?

I have to agree with "The Axe".....Cleary has been injury prone these past few seasons, and with that his productivity has dropped

And again. Sometimes I wonder if some people just can't take the ten seconds to browse their memories before posting. This applies also to the statement that he is injury-prone, as the majority of his injuries have come from events that would have injured anybody; and his knee problems last season came of agreeing to forgo surgery in the previous offseason so as to not miss an extended period.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he's got now that the knee has been taken care of. When healthy, I think Cleary's an asset to this team. Whether or not that surgery made him "healthy" remains to be seen. I'll reserve judgment until I see him on the ice.

Just look at how he hangs his sunglasses from his banana hammock in that last pic. This guyf****** rules. --kipwinger

And again. Sometimes I wonder if some people just can't take the ten seconds to browse their memories before posting. This applies also to the statement that he is injury-prone, as the majority of his injuries have come from events that would have injured anybody; and his knee problems last season came of agreeing to forgo surgery in the previous offseason so as to not miss an extended period.

And what does this have to do with the fact that he is getting older - more injury prone - less productive - and quite possibly not a Red Wing for the 2013/2014 NHL season when younger more healthy players are capable of replacing him?

Just because we all have fond memories for a certain Red Wing from years past doesn't mean it's a great idea in keeping said player on the team in the future - especially if said player cannot perform as he did in the past, and others can.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="P. Marlowe" data-cid="2340254" data-time="1358273091"><p>
Ken Holland has stated<br />
<br />
<br />
Ken Holland stated last year that Cleary is "a Wing for life" like Draper, Maltby and co. Can't find the article but it was in MLive I think. So Cleary will be re-signed and this season determines his contract.</p></blockquote>

Ken Holland should be fired. Part of the reason we have guys playing for us 3 years past their usefulness. Bert, homer, sammy, etc.